In order to provide electricity, communications, or data transfer lines in buildings or factories, installers must frequently install a large quantity of cables and route them throughout the structure. In the past, it was accepted practice to route large bundles of cables with the individual cables gathered together and in contact with many adjacent cables. For many cables, such as those containing conductors for transmitting data, it is important to maintain separation between cables to prevent unwanted interference between the adjacent cables, which may be caused by the magnetic fields produced by the individual conductors.
One device for maintaining separation between cables is the wire support bracket disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,850. The bracket includes holes through which wire is threaded and reinforced mounting flanges on three axes of the bracket to provide flexibility in mounting on different construction members. Although the bracket provides a device for maintaining separation between wires, its construction requires that the wires be threaded through the holes. This complicates the task of installing wire in a large area, as each wire must be threaded through each separate hole.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,244,542 (hereinafter the '542 patent) disclosed a conduit spacer system including a U-shaped member having a base and an open end for receiving a conduit. The U-shaped member is molded in one piece from plastic and includes matching interlocking means attached to opposite sides thereof to allow adjacent units to be interconnected to support multiple conduits with a desired horizontal spacing. Although the '542 patent provides a device for providing separation between conduits, it has the disadvantage of requiring assemblage of several separate U-shaped members. This adds time to the installation task. Unfortunately, the U-shaped members do not provide a positive locking feature to hold the inserted conduits within the arms of the U-shaped member. Additionally, the U-shaped members are of a set size, and for a proper fit can handle only one size of conduit.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,802 (hereinafter the '802 patent) discloses a cable support for parallel runs of coaxial cable that includes pairs of molded blocks stacked on a single threaded rod. The blocks of each pair are identical and include semi-circular cylindrical recesses that fit together to provide circular passageways for cable. Although the '802 patent provides a device for providing separation between cables, it has the disadvantage of being of a complex design, requiring a threaded rod and multiple blocks to enclose the cables. Having no means to reduce or enlarge the diameter of the passageways, it also is ideal for only one size of cable. A cable of smaller diameter than the passageway would not be anchored tightly in the passageway. A cable of larger diameter than the passageway would force open the blocks, and not allow them to close properly.